Location

Located in the heart of the Andean mountains of southern Ecuador, the town of Cuenca is entrenched in a valley irrigated by four rivers: Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara. The Historic Center of Santa Ana de los Rios de Cuenca includes the territory that was occupied by the town of Cuenca until the first half of the 20th century, as well as the archaeological site of Pumapungo and the corridors that include the ancient access routes to the town.

The Historic Center of Santa Ana de los Rios de Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is a remarkable example of a planned inland Spanish town that bears witness to the interest given to the principles of Renaissance urban planning in the Americas. Founded in 1577 according to the guidelines issued thirty years earlier by the King of Spain, Charles V, it has preserved over four centuries its original orthogonal plan.

Earthquake Update: At this time we do not know if Cuenca sustained any damage from the earthquake. Cuenca is further inland and is at 10,000 feet elevation. We think Cuenca may have missed the destruction and we are checking with our contacts in Cuenca to confirm this situation. We will post an update as soon as possible. This website https://www.cuencahighlife.com/ provides continual updates in English about the situation in Ecuador.